Studies show that one-third of people experiencing a stroke will call to schedule a doctor’s appointment versus calling 911, because they don’t recognize the medical emergency. This delay results in the loss of precious minutes to administer time sensitive treatment.
Take steps to improve outcomes by becoming a Stroke Smart Medical Practice.
A Stroke Smart Medical Practice aims to improve stroke patient outcomes by tackling two major challenges in stroke care:
Reducing prehospital delay linked to primary care staff scheduling an appointment vs. instructing patients to call 9-1-1.
Increasing public awareness of stroke signs and the importance of immediate action.
The Virginia Stroke Systems Task Force approved five actions medical practices can implement to become Stroke Smart. Get started by accessing the resources under each action.
1. Train Office Staff
Train all office staff to spot strokes and follow practice protocol.
Resources:
30-minute Stroke Smart Training Video 🡕
Staff Training Curriculum (developed by Mary Washington Healthcare) 🡕
2. Educate Patients
Ensure Stroke Smart education and materials are accessible to ALL patients.
Resources:
Order Free Magnets and Wallet Cards 🡕
3-minute Stroke Smart Training Video 🡕
9-minute Stroke Smart Training Video 🡕
Patient Handout (Developed by Mary Washington Healthcare) English 🡕 Spanish 🡕
Stroke Story Poster – African American 🡕 Caucasian 🡕 Spanish 🡕
Stroke BEFAST Poster for download or print 🡕
3. Educate High-Risk Patients
Identify high-risk patients and provide targeted Stroke Smart Education.
4. Script Phone Systems
Incorporate Stroke Smart scripts in your phone system recordings.
5. Track Metrics
Track metrics on Stroke Smart program activities.
Identify preferred metrics and methods to track Stroke Smart data, such as:
Whether your practice has implemented one or all five of the actions above, we want to acknowledge your work and share the insights you gain. Complete the short application here.
A medical practice has implemented and adheres to one Stroke Smart action.
A medical practice has implemented and adheres to two Stroke Smart actions.
A medical practice has implemented and adheres to three Stroke Smart actions.
A medical practice has implemented and adheres to four or more Stroke Smart actions.
Educate your staff and patients to reduce prehospital delay, raise public awareness, and improve patient outcomes.
